Close Encounters of the Wild Kind

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I had one of those days today I would prefer to forget!  Finnegan got into it with a groundhog that's been tormenting both of us for weeks! I don't know if he wanted to kill it, torment it until it died, or play with it! He had dozens of chances to kill it :( but he didn't, so I suspect it was one of the latter two. The stewpid groundhog had several chances to make a break for it but chose not to.  The problem was I couldn't get them apart!!

I started out calmly but forcefully calling, "Finnegan, come."  No response!  He was circling that GH at 100 miles an hour. I picked up the closest weapon I could find - a pooper scooper (I kid you not) , determined to knock the GH out or kill it myself.  I missed and broke the silly scooper in half. By this time, I was trying every command: NO! Drop it! Leave it! Come! I couldn't grab him because he was moving too fast and was entangled with the GH.  Basically, I suck as a survivalist!  I had my cell phone so I tried calling several friends, thinking if someone arrived FInn would run to check them out, but no one was home.  Scared the animal could be rabid, I dialed 911. I told the dispatcher I wasn't sure they handled this kind of a call but that my dog was in a stand off with a GH I thought might be rabid and that I couldn't get them apart!  By now, this had now been going on for over half an hour! He assured me they did and he would send an officer right away.  Then he asked me, "Who's winning?"  Since I barely had a voice left, I didn't find this funny!!  

Apparently, FInnegan isn't much of a survivalist either. The GH would snap and Finn would bop it on the head!  The GH would flip over and Finn would grab it by the tail and flip it back! I was turning into a crazy woman!  Finn is not treat motivated but he LOVES the car and his WALKS so I ran and got the car, drove it around, and opened the back door and yelled WALK, Finnegan! THAT got his attention... for 2 seconds. You could see he struggled with the decision, then turned back to the GH.

Finally, the officer arrived and after looking over the situation, said, first, I had to get the dog and GH apart. Huh????  But thankfully, when FInn saw a stranger approaching, he finally came running!!!  Usually, I believe in live and let live.  But after almost an hour of this fiasco, I begged her to shoot the GH. Apparently, that's against the rules :(  So was borrowing her gun, to shoot it myself :)

I checked Finn over and found no bites or blood, just some missing tufts of hair. He smelled awful, so I bathed him.  I just gave him a rimadyl tonight because he's so sore he can barely walk. Is there anything else I should look out for? He has both his rabies and lepto vaccines.  His face was covered with saliva but I didn't see any breaks in the skin.  Of course, his coat is thick.  

Tonight, I need a drink, a condominium, and maybe my money back for all those training classes :(  I'm just glad he's ok, but I hate seeing him in so much pain. BTW, we were outside taking pictures for the Nov. assignment when this all began.  I had camera in hand. Sometimes FInn will run to the camera when he hears the beeping. I didn't even know what I shot until I threw the memory card into the computer tonight. Camilla, I CAN shoot with one hand holding a poop scoop in the other!

[Carol and Banjo]

Wow, Wow and WOW!    Great photos of the event Cheryl.   Finn....bad, bad, BAD!   We've never had an incident like this (TG!) but I know Banjo's already shabby re-call would have been for not.   Wine AND chocolate sounds good to me!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Ha! It made me cringe to look at them. I hope you never have an incident like this, Carol.  But when you live with wild critters around, you just never know. The day before there was a magnificent buck. I know the times they travel through here.  Early morning and at dusk. This was mid morning so I wasn't prepared. Finn ran at him and instead of running, the buck lowered his head.  This is the time of year that they will charge, so I gave chase. Finn has good recall with the deer and as soon as the buck turned to leave, Finn came running back and sat at my feet, quite proud of himself.  Time for a physical fence. Or that condo. 

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

OMD!

I felt breathless reading your account. Sounds scary. Glad it ended with
Hopefully only some sore muscles.

Btw, did you get that drink?

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

YES!! LOL

[jenn D]

Aww that is scary. I had a run in like that with my beagles many years ago. But it was a skunk. It was awful. We also called animal control who helped but by the time they came, both of the beagles had been sprayed and afterward stupidly I gave them a tomato juice bath that did nothing to get rid of the smell so I had skunk-tomato-beagle smelling dogs for about a month. My eyes have never watered so much in my life!
Dispite all that I was most concerned (as you are) about bites or scratches and diseases. Keep an eye on your fierce warrior. I hope things settle down and no more groundhogs. Lets hope his buddies Didnt follow him to your house!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Jenn. I do have a Have a Heart trap and 2 friends that are hunters on speed dial :) Skunks, yuck! Nature's Miracle has a good skunk odor remover.  Thankful I've never had to use it...yet. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I tried the trap. I caught air.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Two years ago, I had a mom with 4 babies hanging around!  I caught 2 babies and the man came and removed them the next morning. The mother hung around the trap all night :(  The next morning, when the mother found the traps reset and empty, she did the most amazing thing. She got the remaining babies in a line and they marched across the yard to the woods! I thought great -they're gone. But she returned alone 20 minutes later, walked into the trap, never ate a thing, and died within 20 minutes. The trap guy said it was the heat when he arrived and found me crying :( I haven't been able to bring myself to bring out that trap again, but no more Mr. Nice Guy!!!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh my doodle. What a sad story.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

One piece missing ... did the Officer ever do anything with the groundhog?  I too would have been worried that it was rabid because it didn't respond as it should have and gotten the heck out of there!  Glad it all ended of and hope everyone is feeling better this morning!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

No, she didn't. WTD!!! They only shoot the animal if it's mortally wounded or posing an immediate danger. I insisted it was acting oddly and FInn had flipped it a couple of times. She called for an OK to shoot it but her boss said no. Said I should call animal control today.  Last I saw it, it was walking slowly towards the woods. Walking!!  So we'll have to keep an eye out.  Hoping it died (I know that's awful) or a fox or a hawk got it!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Oh lord....this had to be so scary. I am so glad Finn is ok and hope that groundhog leaves town. Now, with all that said. Forward any vet bills, wine bills, condominium ( I won't tell you how I first read that), and misc. bills caused from this incident directly to F, care of the Photography Group. It is clear the group is responsible for this whole thing :) My two have gotten a hold of a rabbit, a squirrel, moles, voles, and birds, and I hate it every single time it happens. Nothing can persuade Fudge to leave it alone. I feel your pain. Glad Finn seems to be fine. Call your vet and run it by him, if it makes you feel better.